Improvement in horse hay-rakes



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Improvemenrin Horse-Hay-Rakes. No. 114,368, wantedrvlay?,1a71.V

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improvement in Horse Hay-Rakes.

N0. 114,368. Patented Mag/2,1871.

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didnt Stura ROBERT M. TREAT, 0F MORRIS. CGNNEOTIGUT.

Letters Patent No. 114,368, dated May 2, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN- HORSE HAY-RAKES.

The Schedule referredto in these Letters Patent and making part of the lame.

To all whom it 'nitty concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. TREAT, of Morris, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Horse Hay-Rakes; and I do hereby declare that the followl ing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', reference being had to the accompanying drawing making part of this specification, in which- I.

Figure 1, plate l, is a top View of the improved rake.

Figure 2, plate 1, is a section taken vertically and longitudinally through the rake, with the rake-teeth in working position.

'Figure 3, plate 2, is an enlarged sectional view, showing the rake-teeth raised and locked in this position.

Figure 4, plate 2, is a rear view, showing the manner of constructing the axle of the rake-carriage.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements on wheel hay-takes, wherein a seat is provided for the attendant to ride ou the machine, and wherein the tines are applied to a bar which is connected to the axle ofthe carriage by means of hinges, and furnished with contrivances which will allow the attendant to raise the tines at pleasure and secure them in an elevated position.

The following description will enable others skilled in the art to understand my invention.

In the accompanying drawing- A A represent two transporting-wheels, which are constructed with their hubs a a on the inner sides, so that there shall be no projections on their outer sides which would interfere in passing through gates and other narrow openings.

The wheels A A are applied on the ends of a metal rod or axle, B, which is bent in the form of an arch, as shown in iig. 4, and sustained in this form by means of a wooden tree or bolster, C.

The arch form given to the axle is intended to prelvent this axle from sagging under the weight of the attendant, and the strain to which it is subjected.

To retain this arched forni ofthe axle, the wooden holster C is grooved along its bottom to receive into it the rod B, the latter is then secured fast to the bolster C by a clip, b b', applied at the middle of its length. The rod B is then sprung or bent into the said groove and secured permanently in place by means of clips b b', applied near the extremities of the axle. The bolster thus serves as a brace to retain the arched form, while it also serves to stili'en the axle. In this way I make a very light and strong axle, which will not sag nor sink in the center, and which is peculiarly applicable to a rake, for the reason that the points ot' the tines will maintain the position to which they are at 'first adjusted, which would not be the case if the axle sagged in the center.

The thills D D are secured on top of the wooden bolster C by means of clips, as shown in the drawing, which clips assist in confining the rod Bto the bolster, and across these" thills, in front of the axle, is afootbar and brace, D', rising from which is a standard, s. This standard s, together with two braces, 's' s', extends back and supports a seat, S, for the attendant.

In rear ofthe axle is a rake-head, G, which is connected to the rear side of the axle by means of straps h and eyes j, forminglong hinge-connections, which will allow the rake-head to rise and descend.

The straps h 7L are forked, as shown infigs. 2 and 3, and their rear extremities are bolted to the upper and lower edges of the rake-head G, so that these straps brace and hold firmly the head.

To the front of this head 'the curved tines are` secured by their coiled portions. These tines extend back of, beneath, and in contact with the head G, and terminate in beveled raking-points W, the lower surfaces of which are parallel to the surface of the ground when the teeth are in raking position, as shown in tig. 2.

The rake-head G is connected to a foot-stirrup, l, by means of an adjusting-rod, o', the screw-threaded portion of which passes through a portion, n, Vmade fast to the head G, and receives an adjusting-nut, n, and a jam-nut, nl.

The front end of the rod fr has an eye formed ou it, by which it is attached to the stirrup l, so as to allow" free articulation in the act of raising and depressing the tines.

The stirrup is pvoted to eyes e, which are fastened into the front side ofthe wooden part ofthe axle, and to this stirrup the forked end of a foot-lever, t, is applied, as shown in figs. 2 and 3.

This foot-lever t is pivoted at i to the seat-standard s, and to its front end a foot-rest, t', is applied, on which either one or both the feet ot' theI attendant will be applied when he desires to depress the raketeeth.

For the purpose of holding the rake in an elevated posit-ion without the aid of the attendant, a ibot-latch, t', is pivoted to the lever t in a position to catch over the stirrup L when the rake-teeth are raised,.as shown in tig. 3.

The rods L, which are secured into the' axle and extended outin rear thereof, are intended for clearing the tines J of hay when the latter are thrown up.

The long stirrnp Z, above described, allows the attendant while sitting on the seat S to raise the rake-- teeth free of the ground when he desires to discharge a gathered load; and this he can do with either one or both o' his feet.

.lhe long slotted foot-lever tis used forallowiug the attendant to keep the raking ends of the tines down to their work under a varying pressure.-

Having described my invention,

What I claim as new is- 1. The long forked hinging straps h h, formed as shown by doubling and bending the metal, in combination withv the eyes j j, axle B C, and the rake-head G, the combination and arrangement being as shown,

so that the prongs or arms of the straps clasp the top and bottomof the rake-head so as to prevent splitting, and are confined to it by vertical bolts, all as and for'tlxe purpose described,

2. The forked foot-lever t, the vibrating stirrnp l, and the adj nsting-rod lr, combined and arranged in a wheel hay-rake, substantially-as described.

3. The foorflatch v'applied to the foot-lever t, and" combined with the stirrnp land rod lr, substantially as and for the purposes described. v ROBERT M; TREAT.

Witnesses:-

GARRY H. Mums, JOSEPH W. Mason. 

